Bonds homers as Giants top Dodgers for 7th straight win

• Summary: Barry Bonds hit his 741st career homer, a three-run shot in the first inning, and the Giants beat the Dodgers for their first seven-game winning streak in nearly three years.

Bonds

• Hero: Bonds has homered in three of his last four games, moving him within 14 of Hank Aaron's career record. It was his second homer off Randy Wolf and first since 1999.

• Turning point: Pedro Feliz hit a 2-0 pitch from Wolf into right-center field with two outs in the sixth, giving the Giants a 5-4 lead.

• Figure this: Bonds' three RBIs moved him past Willie McCovey into first place on the Giants' career list with 1,389.

• Quotable: "I've given up quite a few to know what they sound like, but he's a guy with kind of superhuman power and he doesn't always need to hit it perfectly." -- Wolf on Bonds' home run

-- ESPN.com news services

Giants 6, Dodgers 4

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- As Barry Bonds inches closer to Hank Aaron's
career home run record, he's leading the San Francisco Giants on
their most successful run in nearly three years.

Bonds hit his 741st career homer, a three-run shot in the first
inning, Pedro Feliz had the go-ahead homer in the sixth and the
Giants beat Los Angeles 6-4 Wednesday night to extend their winning
streak to seven games.

San Francisco last won seven straight in June 2004.

"We're putting some runs on the board and that's huge for us,"
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "A lot of good things are
happening."

Bonds has homered in three of his last four games, moving him
within 14 of Aaron's mark. He sent a 1-1 pitch from Randy Wolf into
right-center field. It was his second homer off Wolf and first
since 1999.

"I think he got it off the end of the bat," Wolf said. "When
he hit it, I really didn't think it was going to be a home run.
I've given up quite a few to know what they sound like, but he's a
guy with kind of superhuman power and he doesn't always need to hit
it perfectly."

Bonds went 2-for-4 with two strikeouts before being replaced by
pinch-runner Dave Roberts in the eighth. Bonds brushed off
reporters after the game.

"It's an exciting time and with men on base, he's just so
dangerous," Bochy said about Bonds. "I enjoy watching him."

Noah Lowry (2-2) gave up four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3
innings, striking out four and walking five. Armando Benitez
pitched the ninth for his sixth save in as many chances.

"It was a battle," said Lowry, who didn't get his first
victory until last Thursday after coming off a 7-10 record last
season. "I wish I'd been able to hold that four-run lead. I made
some bad pitches when guys were in scoring position. It was not
well-executed on my part."

The Giants jumped on Wolf in the first, scoring four runs before
the left-hander got his first out. Rich Aurilia's RBI single
preceded Bonds' homer.

Wolf (3-2) allowed five runs on six hits in six innings,
striking out six and walking one. Twice he retired eight of nine
batters -- striking out Bonds twice -- but the homers cost him a
chance at a fourth consecutive victory.

"I thought I was going to be more aggressive, really throw the
ball over the plate more and try to stop deep counts," Wolf said.
"Before I knew it, there were three hits in a row."

Feliz hit a 2-0 pitch from Wolf into right-center field with two
outs in the sixth, giving the Giants a 5-4 lead. Wolf followed the
trajectory of the ball before hanging his head and throwing his
arms in anger.

Game notes

Bonds tied Pete Rose for fifth in career runs scored with
2,165. ... Wolf notched his 1,000th career strikeout against
Todd Linden
in the fifth. ... Broxton allowed his first run in his last 17
appearances.